Hydraulic mechanism for the transmission of power



Apr. 17, 1923.

A. G. IVI. MICHELL HYDRAULIC MEOHANISM FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF POWERPatented Apr. l?, 19233.' f i l y ,esser ANTHONY G. M. MICHELE', -OFMELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

HYDRAULIC Mncnamsn ron THE TRANSMISSION or rowan ApplicationlediJanuax-Ay 5, 1921. Serial ITo. 435,163.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, ANTHoNY GEORGE MALDONMICHELL, of 450 rCollins Street, Melbourne, in the State of Victoria,Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHydraulic Mechanism for the Transmission of Power, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention is an application of hydraulic transmissionmechanism of the type comprising an outward flow centrifugal pump asdriving element and an inward flow reactlon turbine as driven element.,to transmit the power of more than oneA prime mover to a single shaft. Aparticulariobject of the invention is the driving of marine propellershafts, especially in cases where the power required to be applied to asingle propeller is greater than can be 'conveniently generated Aby asingle engine, and where it is desired to drive the propeller'at a speeddifferent from that of the engines. Another object of the invention isfacility for varying the speed of the driven shaft, eJg. a propellershaft, or for reversingits motion, without interference with therunningof the engines, and without the wear and tear and risks offracture involved in the use of toothed gears at variable speed ratiosand high power.

According tothe present invention these objects are secured by anarrangement of the centrifugal pump elements in lateral relationship andso 'associated with a centrally located turbinethat the fluid from theformer circulates through the latten 'ln the preferred construction `theturbine divided into circumferential sectors each associated with aseparate pump element, and to eHect the reversal and control objectabove stated, the rotor of the turbine is also divided into separateaxially adjacent compartments, and an axially movable element isprovided adapted to direct the admission of the' motive fluid radiallyinto 'one or to deflect its axially into. another lof saidcompartments'.l

The accompanying drawings illustratea practical application of thisinvention to hydraulic transmission of the type specified.

the mechanism on the line 1, 1 of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a similarcross-section of the other half'of the mechanism on the broken line 11,

11 of Fig. 4. l Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the whole is enclosedin a of. the mechanism,

drlvlng, while Fig. 4 is apart sectional plan of a port1on of themechanism set for reverse rivmg.

The drawings illustrate the application of the lnvention for thetransmission of power from two parallel driving shafts, 1, 1, arrangedto be directly coupled to two independent engme-shafts not shown, to asingle driven propeller shaft 2. rlhe driving shafts 1 ,.1 have mountedon them respectively centrifugal pump-lmpellers 3, 3, each of'which 1sof the symmetrical or double entrance type.

The driven shaft 2 turblne rotor-4, of inward How type, and com prlsin'gthree separate compartments viz a middle compartment 5 for forwardrunning and two outer compartments G, 6al for reverse running-. Each ofthe compartments is of the mixed-flow type, and Huid entering radiallyat the periphery and being discharged axially.y

Surrounding the turbine rotor 4 are a pair of annular gates 7, 7a, eachof which can be moved axially by means of the rods 8, 8a, and suitableexternal gear (not shown) from the positlon shown in Fig. 3 to thatshown in Fig. Each annular ate, 7, v7, comprises a series of curved guie varies, 9, arranged inv radially inclined annular passages, 10,

l0", and between annular plates or rings, 11, 11, 12, 12, the two latterplates being of a triangular cross-section.

The whole of the hydraulic mechanism above described is immersed in luidwhich common casing divided into two parts 13, 13, on a plane joint 13bfor convenience of assembly and inspection. rllhe chamber is formed withhelical waterways 14, 14a respectively surrounding the pump-impellers 3,3a, and respectively connected with the helical chambers 15, 15EL whichrespectively surround the upper and lower half peripheries of theturbine rotor 4, this arrangement not constituting any part of thepresent invention. rlihese helical chambers constitute the preferredAform of passage-way for the motive fluid from the pump elements to theturbine. The return passage-ways 16, 1t, 17, 17, each connect Fig.`1shows a' cross-section of one-half o f'v one half of one axlal outletofthe turbine rotor to an axial inlet of one-of the pumpimpellers. f

The o ration of the mechanism is as follows ien in action the engineshafts and pump-impellers 3, 3a coupled thereto rotate has mounted on ita lltl@ mit lill@ continuousl in the direction shown by the arrows in i1 and 2. With the gates 7, 7, sets-in t e forward position as shown inFigs. land 3, the fluid enclosed in the casing 13, 13i is circulatedoutward from each of the pump-impellers 3, 3a through the chambers 14,15 and 14, 15, to the an-v nular space 18 between the plates 12, 12a andthence through the compartment 5 of the pump-rotor, and its symmetricalaxial outlets 19, 19a to the turn passages 16, 16, 17 17, back to theaxial inlets of the pumpim ellers.

n passing through the turbine rotor 4 the fluid impels it to rotate inthe same direction as the pump-impellers asshown by the arrow in Fig. l.

When the annular gates 7, 7, are shifted to the position for reversedriving of the turbine as shown in Fig. 4 the fluid supplied from thehelical chambers 15, 15a enters the inclined annular passages 10, 10 andis deliected into the reverse compartments 6, 6a of the turbine rotor 4,and thence through their respective axial outlets through the passages16, 16, 17, 171 backV to the pump-impellers 3, 3, as in the case offorward running. It will be observed that lin the position for `forwardrunning the inner peripheral surfaces of the rings 12, 12a cover,orblind, the inlets to the reverse compartments 6, 6, of the turbinerotor' 4, in the position for reverse runningl they similarly cover theinlet to the reverse compartment 5, whereby in each case any pumpingaction of the compartment or compartments not in action, and deleteriousHuid resistances, are obviated.

It will be understood that the above described construction, by whichthe pumps and turbines are made symmetrical about the.4 transversecentre line of Fig. 3 is a matter of convenience only, and that singleentry pumps and turbine compartments correspondin substantially to theparts shown i on one si e onl of such centre line could be employedwithout departing from the principles of the invention.

.1. In hydraulic transmission gear of the type described, a turbineelement comprising a rotor divided into separate axially adacentcompartments and an axially mow ab e control gate adapted to admit themotive fluid alternatively either radially into one of said compartmentsof the rotor or to deiect .it axiallyinto another adjacent compartmentfor the purpose described. l 2. In hydraulic transmission gear of thetype' described, comprising a turbine rotor with axially adjacentcompartments, a control gate having an inclined annular assage, andadapted to direct the motive uid to one or another compartment,of theturbine rotor. f

3. In hydraulic transmission gear of the type described, comprising aturbine Arotor with two axially adjacent axial compartments, a controlgate having an inclined annular passage and an annular ring, the saidpassage being adapted alternatively to dircct the motive fluid to either'of said compartments, while the ring covers the other of saidcompartments.

4. In hydraulic transmission gear of the type described, a pair ofsymmetrical, double-inlet, centrifugal pump-impellers arranged todeliver fluid under pressure to a symmetrical turbine rotor, the saidrotor being divided into separate axially adjacent compartments forforward and reverse running and having symmetrical discharge outletsadapted to return the fluid equally tothe two inlets of eachpump-impeller.

Dated this 23rd day of November, 1920.

A. G. M. MICHELL.

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